


To the Grave

by carolinecrane



Series: Aftermath [26]
Category: The Brotherhood 2: Young Warlocks (2001)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-05
Updated: 2011-05-05
Packaged: 2017-10-19 01:03:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/195177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolinecrane/pseuds/carolinecrane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harlan's the only one he can still protect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To the Grave

He can't explain what just happened. He knows he shouldn't have let it, knows sleeping with Harlan was the worst thing he could have done. But he's not sorry, because Harlan feels warm and familiar and _right_ pressed against him and maybe it was stupid to try to walk away.

They haven't heard anything else from Jon, and he hasn't found any more articles about dead girls in Jon's hometown, so maybe this whole thing was just a false alarm. Maybe Luc's not back, which means Harlan's not in danger and Marcus won't have to tell him anything. He wants it to be true, wants it more than anything he's ever wanted in his life, because Harlan said things today that Marcus never thought he'd hear.

He didn't actually use the word 'love', but that's what he meant and Marcus knows it. Knows it because it's exactly the way he feels, and this past week alone…it's been killing him. It's the reason he gave in when Harlan kissed him, the reason he didn't try harder to push Harlan away. He could have – could have said yes, that he was fucking Matt, and that would have been enough. That would have ended things between them for good, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. And he's never had any trouble lying, but he couldn't let Harlan believe that he'd do that after everything.

And he's still not sorry even now, with Harlan breathing next to him and the come starting to dry on his stomach. Knows he's going to be uncomfortable in a few minutes, that he should get up and take a shower, but he can't bring himself to leave while Harlan's still asleep. While his arm's still draped across Marcus' waist, fingers splayed possessively across his abdomen and his chest rising and falling with every breath.

He's still trying to convince himself to get up at least long enough to wash the mess off his stomach when someone knocks on the door, and he tenses when he remembers that his roommate could be back any second. He slides out from under Harlan's arm reluctantly, doing his best not to wake Harlan as he climbs off the bed and reaches for his pants. By the time he gets to the door he's zipping them up, and he pulls the door open expecting to find his roommate looking annoyed and possibly grossed out.

Instead he finds himself face to face with Matt, and he glances unconsciously over his shoulder before he steps into the hall and pulls the door halfway closed. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Matt says, staring at Marcus' neck and it's all he can do not to reach up and cover the spot where Harlan's mouth was just twenty minutes ago. "I'm guessing you still didn't tell him."

"It's complicated," Marcus answers, frowning when Matt raises an eyebrow at him. "What do you want, anyway?"

"I came to tell you that I haven't been able to get a hold of Jon."

Just like that Matt's all business again, Harlan and the mark on Marcus' neck forgotten. And he looks…worried, but more than that, he looks scared, too.

"What does that mean?" Marcus asks, casting another unconscious glance at the door behind him. "I mean how long have you been trying to get a hold of him?"

"A couple days," Matt says, and Marcus knows exactly what he's thinking. That's too long to go without any word at all, but Marcus has been watching and he hasn't seen any articles about teenage boys found dead in Jon's hometown. So it's possible that he's fine, but Marcus doesn't believe that any more than Matt does.

"What about his parents?"

"No answer." Matt shakes his head and reaches into his pocket, fishing around for a minute before he pulls out an envelope. "I even called his school, said I was his cousin and it was a family emergency. He hasn't been there in two days. And today I found this in my mailbox."

Marcus reaches out, willing his fingers not to shake as he takes the envelope. He knows who it's from before he opens it, feels a chill run down his spine as he slides the single sheet of paper out of the envelope and unfolds it. It's a photocopy of a news article from a few months ago, Randall's face staring up at him and the words 'Accidental Drowning At Chandler Academy' printed across the top. Only the word 'accidental' is underlined in red, and Marcus feels his hands starting to shake as he pushes the article back toward Matt.

"Jesus."

"Yeah." Matt folds the paper and tucks it back into the envelope, then he shoves the whole thing in his pocket and glances around to make sure no one's listening before he continues. "I don't think it's just Jon we have to worry about anymore. I don't know if this is a warning or what, but I'm not taking any chances and neither should you."

He's nodding without really listening, because his mind's already racing with all the things that could happen to Harlan if he doesn't do something. All the things that could happen to both of them, but Harlan…he doesn't deserve to be caught up in this. He hasn't always been the nicest guy, granted, but he's not the one who sold his soul for a little popularity. And now Luc's looking to collect, but if Harlan's not around when he catches up with Marcus then maybe…just maybe he'll be safe.

"What are you going to do?" he hears himself ask, forcing his gaze back to Matt in time to watch him shrug.

"Watch my back, same as you," Matt answers. "Keep trying to track down Jon. If he's not…"

Marcus nods again when Matt trails off, because he doesn't really want to hear the word any more than Matt wants to say it. They both know it's probably the truth, but if Jon's dead then that means they're next, and he's pretty sure there's nothing they can do to stop it. "Right. I'll see you later, man."

"Sure. I'll let you know if I hear anything else," Matt says, and he's looking at Marcus kind of funny, but Marcus can't make himself care. He's got too much to deal with already, and it doesn't matter anymore what Matt thinks. Nothing matters except making sure Harlan's out of the line of fire, and Marcus will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

He lets himself back into the room, remembering to lock the door this time. He turns to find Harlan watching him, expression a mixture of suspicion and anger. "You wanna tell me what the fuck's going on?"

"I can't," Marcus answers as he sits down on the edge of the bed, and at least that much is the truth. "Not yet."

 _Not ever,_ he doesn't add, the ball of lead that settled in his stomach as soon as he saw Matt's anonymous letter growing just a little heavier.

"So…what? I'm just supposed to wait around until you feel like telling me what's bothering you?"

Marcus shakes his head, swallowing against the hard lump in his throat. It's not until Harlan catches his hand that Marcus realizes he's been touching, tracing an idle pattern against Harlan's knuckles. His last chance to do this, he thinks to himself, threading their fingers together just for a second before he pulls his hand away.

"Look, I'll tell you everything, okay? There's just some stuff I have to take care of first."

It's part of the truth, anyway, but he knows it's not nearly enough. Not even close, but telling Harlan would only make it harder to protect him, and Marcus isn't willing to take the risk. If Harlan knew he'd just be even more involved than he already is, and at least this way there's a chance Luc won't come after him. But he knows Harlan, knows how stubborn he is and he's not surprised when Harlan pushes for answers Marcus can't give.

"What stuff, Marcus?" He sits up, hand under Marcus' chin to force his gaze up, and God, Marcus is going to miss this. He's going to miss everything, the way Harlan touches him and the way he looks at Marcus like he can see right through him. And part of Marcus wishes he could, because if he knew the truth already…but he doesn't, so there's no use thinking about it. "And what's it got to do with Van Owen?"

Marcus feels himself flinch at the mention of Jon's name, knows Harlan saw it but there's nothing he can do. Nothing he can do for Jon now, just like he can't protect Matt or even himself. But he can protect Harlan – he can try, anyway – and that's something.

"I'll tell you everything," he lies, reaching up to thread their fingers together again and that's just another thing he's going to miss. "Just give me a couple days."

He can tell Harlan's going to argue, sees it in the set of his jaw, so he leans forward and presses their lips together before Harlan can say anything. And he's sure that won't work, because Harlan's relentless when he wants something, but a second later there's a hand sliding into his hair, and Marcus is pushing Harlan back onto the mattress.

He doesn't have time for this, because Luc could be here already and Marcus knows the sooner he leaves the sooner Harlan will be safe. But he just wants this one last moment, wants to feel Harlan's hands on him and memorize every inch of his body so he can close his eyes and remember when he's long gone. And he doesn't even know where he's going, but it doesn't really matter as long as no one can find him when he gets there.


End file.
